Heathrow airport is expecting the day after the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games to be its busiest ever, with 218,000 bags set to pass through the airport.
The London hub estimates it will welcome 80 per cent of all athletes, officials, sponsors, media and spectators attending next year’s Games, and has signed a sponsorship agreement to be the official “Host Airport” for London 2012.
The amount of bags passing through the airport on the day after the London 2012 closing ceremony is expected to eclipse the current record of 160,000, with 15 per cent of the baggage being outsized equipment including canoes, pole vaults and bikes.
As a result the airport is considering options for managing the extra demand, including bag drop facilities at the Olympic village, shipping baggage as freight, and the construction of a temporary “Olympic terminal”.
Commenting on the news BAA Chief Executive Colin Matthews said:
“London 2012 will be Heathrow’s greatest challenge. Every part of the airport is working together so we can give the world’s greatest athletes the world’s greatest welcome.
“To deliver a memorable experience for athletes and spectators we will deploy 1,000 Heathrow volunteers. This will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of something special. Volunteers will be helping spectators find their way, managing fans waiting for a peek of their heroes, and even greeting athletes and VIPs.”
For more information visit heathrowairport.com.
Report by Mark Caswell
